It’s Our Choice - Life or Death

Continue to fund the fossil fuel economy or create a new life sustaining clean energy society?

Like it or not we live in interesting times. They are times of danger and uncertainty; but they are also more open to the creative energy of people than any other time in history. And everyone here will ultimately be judged on the effort he or she has contributed to building a new world society. Robert F. Kennedy

We are truly living in times of danger and uncertainty. Global warming and climate change are accelerating. U.S. carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are now 19.4 percent above 1990 levels and this year China surpassed us as the world’s leading polluter. The recent floods in Indiana, Iowa and along the Mississippi River are the most recent results, costing billions in property damage and loss of life. Many are calling this year's flood a 500-year-flood, meaning there is only a 0.2 percent chance every year for flooding of such magnitude, although the last such flood was just 15 years ago. The good book and most great traditions predicted these days would come. As Robert Kennedy stated, we will be judged by our contributions to building a new world, a new life sustaining clean energy society.

As I write, the U.S. Senate and House just approved an additional $162 billion to fund the U.S. military and nation building efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. This makes the total federal funds spent in both Iraq and Afghanistan in excess of $850 billion, a war that was estimated to be paid for through the profits of Iraqi oil. Many experts now predict the total U.S. tax payer price tag will eventually reach $2 trillion. We are compounding our national debt, while propping up the fossil fuel economy by funding the war effort. Not to mention over 4,000 tragic American deaths, at least 100,000 Iraqi and Afghanistan civilian deaths and now two million Iraqi refugees. All of it in order to increase gas prices at the pump while pumping massive profits into the pockets of big oil companies. As Bush’s press secretary Scott McClellan recently wrote, “The Iraqi invasion was for the acquisition of the third largest oil fields in the world to supply America, which consumes 40% of the world's oil supplies.”

After Bush’s tax cuts to the wealthy, which have been criticized as both immoral and unnecessary by one of the world’s wealthiest man, Warren Buffet, the national debt is approaching $10 trillion. We’re paying $416 billion in interest each year to foreign countries, financial institutions and back to the wealthy to borrow this money. The federal government’s credit card has no limit, until us citizens choose to cut it up. How do we turn this grave situation around?

The first step is to elect a president in November committed to fiscal responsibility and investments in support of life through universal education and healthcare, quality jobs, housing and public transportation, infrastructure, public safety and renewable energy or a healthy life sustaining clean energy society. When you combine the debt service and our war funding it totals about $700 billion annually. For this same amount we can create as RFK envisioned a new world society.

The money, resources, technology, and expertise are available now to transform our decaying fossil fuel (death) based economy to a healthy life sustaining society. The choice is ours. Take action now to build the political will to create a life sustaining society. I say lets be the source of the change we desire. Here are three organizations worthy of your to support and if you are ready to take further local action, call us at (323) 774-1236.

Apollo Alliance - http://www.apolloalliance.org
Union of Concerned Scientists - http://www.ucsusa.org
Worldwatch Institute – http://www.worldwatch.org

The Green Correspondent

Going Green what does it really mean? I would like hear from you, what do you think it means to go Green? For me going Green is about us living a better and healthier life. It is us taking action now to be part of the solution to the challenges of global warming and climate change. It is also about national security, international peace, environmental justice and supporting American workers. Many people believe it is ultimately about the survival of our species. Now with the price of gas at $4.00 per gallon and electricity rates going up, going Green should also be about us saving our hard earned green. What ever your reason for going Green, I look forward to taking the Greening journey with you so together we will create a better future for ourselves, families and our children.

Several weeks ago I was able to attend with The Voice Editor the Green West Expo, together we took the Metro 76 bus to the Los Angeles Convention Center. It was the ideal way to travel to downtown Los Angeles, having no parking worries ($$) and a short walk to our destination. Once at the Convention Center we entered an amazing smorgasbord of Green products from household cleaning solutions to all electric cars. Yes, there are now Green products for almost everything we do and buy. It was a great opportunity to see some of the latest products hitting the market. It might take doing a little searching, but more and more stores are selling Green products and if for some reason they are not, I encourage you to please ask them to get with the Green program.

What is your carbon (CO2) footprint? It is hard to believe it, but the average American creates though our electricity, transportation, food, and products about 20,000 pounds of CO2 each year. This is the world’s biggest carbon footprint. As you know this collective impact is having a detrimental affect on our environment. Thus, these are six steps I have taken to reduce my carbon footprint and hopefully we should all take to go Green while saving green.

1. Take the bus, bike or walk to work at least once a week.
2. Change our light bulbs to the compact florescent lights.
3. Eat less meat and more fruits and vegetables.
4. Turn off the lights when leaving rooms.
5. Buy less of everything.
6. Encourage those around us to do the same.

Additionally, I am part of a non-profit, Who will save earth?, which has the mission to support people and communities to go Green. If you are interested in receiving a free carbon footprint assessment, finding ways to go Green or if you would like to start a Go Green Now project at your work, school or church please give us a call at (323) 774-1236.

In the mean time please take a look at these two great videos.